The Beauty of God's Forgiveness

 

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil din your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:1-12 ESV).

 

There’s nothing quite like being beside a mountain stream as it flows through the rocks. I stopped along the river up on the Roaring Fork Motor Trail and walked down from the road to just sit for a bit and take some photos. The quiet sounds of the water and the birds chirping in the surrounding forest were cathartic. As I began to think of the grace of God and the forgiveness He has extended to me, It felt as if the waters of His grace were washing over me leaving nothing but peace and calm. I recognized the beauty of God’s forgiveness again. It was a prayer moment.

 

Those are the kind of conversations I have with God. I have never been one to pray in “King James.” You know those types of prayers if you have been in a Baptist church for very long. They are the ones that some folks use with the old English pronouns of “thee” and “thou.” I’ve often thought it seemed as if they were trying to make a good impression. I’m more of a direct and brutally honest king of person in my prayers.

 

Our reading today is such a prayer. David describes sin as a great stain on his life. He knows that the sin he has done messes up the beauty of his life. He knows that his sin was offensive to God, and it needed to be washed away. He also knows that just as surely as sin stains a person’s life, God has the power to wipe that life clean again. He prays for forgiveness, asking God to cleanse him and make his life beautiful again. The honesty of the confession is possible because of the trust that God will hear and forgive.

 

Because of the grace of Jesus shown to us on the cross, we can also pray to God confessing the stain of our sin and asking God to wash His grace over us, giving us pure hearts again. God promises to cleanse us and make us beautiful again. God promises to take away our guilt and shame and to renew our spirits. Our honest confession is met with God’s faithful grace and love.